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| Photo by Richard Wilkins Jr. |
Earlier today I wrote about the possibility of trading Chase Utley. Before that was Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels. I'll stay on the offensive side for today and take Chase's double-play partner, Jimmy Rollins. Jimmy is the all-time hits leader in Phillies history and the greatest shortstop in club history. The 2007 MVP isn't the same player as he was back then, but he's still above the league average at his position, with a real ability to come up big in special moments.
Teams that could want him- Jimmy, like Chase, has 10-and-5 rights, and can block any trade. Jimmy is also about to vest his $11 million option for 2015. This limits the field a lot. Oakland is an obvious candidate for their hometown player, as is the cross-bay San Francisco Giants. Beyond that, the only other obvious potential would be the Yankees, though that makes more sense after the season. You can throw the Dodgers onto the list, if you think they'd rather keep Dee Gordon at second. I don't think Milwaukee would still want him, but they've shown interest before.
What you have to get back, money wise- Well, the Phillies will owe Jimmy $3.67 million for the remainder of 2014 at the deadline, and $11 million next year, for a total of $14.67 million. The Phillies may be willing to pick up very little of it, but they will want at least a full season, or $11 million's worth of savings here, most likely.
What you have to get back, players wise- Depends how much salary you save. Again, like with Chase, the Phillies would have to get at least a player of value to save face with their fans for trading a face of the franchise, and they should get at least one good player, and one to two others for a player of Rollins' caliber.
The outlook- Doubtful, unless Jimmy decides he wants to go. There are hurdles galore here, from Jimmy's ability to block deals, to the money, to the prospects, to the vesting option. If the Oakland A's are truly interested, I could absolutely see Jimmy being willing to go. I think beyond that, there's no slam dunk. I think Ruben is certainly interested in a move, and there will be teams that call, but I'm not seeing Jimmy accept a trade. There could be a chance in the Winter to deal him to a place like the Yankees, but beyond that, it looks like Jimmy could stick around through his contract. Could he and Chase both just never leave? I think it's possible. While they're still valuable players to anyone, they're more valuable to the Phillies than they are to many buyers, meaning it might just be too hard to find a fit. Maybe not though too, as we might be watching Freddy Galvis man shortstop come August.
